'Yea,' said he, 'too true, this is the new law; but I shall, as I think,
follow after the footsteps of godly Mr. Baxter; he hath already ceased
preaching, that his weaker brethren, such as I, may be in no manner of
doubt as to what he thinketh. I shall not change my mind twice, once
having seen the great error of my early prelatical opinions,--as your
good aunt knoweth I have seen it.'

'Well,' said Mrs. Golding, sighing heavily, 'we will pray you may have
illumination from above. I cannot tell how we shall do, bereft of our
father in Christ. But I dare not urge any man against his conscience.
And now am I ashamed that you have been so long within my doors and I
have yet set nothing before you. Lucy, Althea, come help me;' and she
bustled about, and presently with our help had set a dish of
strawberries and cream, with nuts and cakes and wine, before our guests.
Mr. Truelocke ate but little, which grieved my aunt; and he would drink
nothing but spring water. But Harry was gay enough for two. We could get
him to touch nothing until he had both of us girls served, he saying we
were greater strangers than he. And since I chose to eat nuts, he would
do the same, and would crack all mine for me. He had a clever way of
doing this with his hands only, which were small, but like iron for
strength; I made a cup of my hands that he might pour the sweet kernels
into it, and so doing we scattered some on the floor, and both dropt on
our knees to pick them up, when I, being nimbler than he, had them all
snatched up before he could touch one; then we both laughed heartily. I
was startled to hear myself laughing, and looked at Althea; and she
seemed to be regarding me with scorn as if she despised me perfectly, so
I checked my laughing and sat down quite crestfallen.

Then Harry, sitting by me, half whispered, 'Now, sweet madam, if you did
but know what music a heart-free laugh is to mine ears, you would not